Valmiki Ramayana - Sundara Kanda in Prose
Sarga 59

Describing the plight of Seetha to his fellow monkeys, Hanuma expresses his feeling that
it behooved them all to see Rama only after restoring Seetha from Lanka. Hanuma says that even single-handed,
he is capable of destroying that City of Lanka with its troops of demons, and killing Ravana, much more
so when accompanied by heroic, mighty and powerful monkeys. Then, he recounts the past heroic exploits
of Jambavan, Angada, Neela, Panasa, Mainda and Dvivida. Hanuma thus incites them all to decided consciously
of a war against Lanka.

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After informing all this, Hanuma the son of wind-god started telling more of the following
words: “By the power of virtuousness of Seetha, Rama’s effort and Sugreeva’s zeal are getting fulfilled.
My mind too is devoted to her. Ravana, the king of demons, who is strong in all ways, can burn away
the three worlds by the power of his penance. Even if he is enraged, he can scorch away his adversaries.
His body, which touched Seetha the daughter of Janaka, was not destroyed because of his askesis. Even
a flame, when fully touched with one’s hand, cannot do that which Seetha would, if stirred by anger.”

“This work (of mine in the form of Seetha’s discovery) has been informed to you in this
way. It is indeed proper to see those two princes (Rama and Lakshmana) along with Seetha, after taking
permission from all the great monkeys headed by Jambavan. I am sufficient, even alone, to destroy rapidly
that City of Lanka together with those troops of demons as also the mighty Ravana.”

“When accompanied by you, who are strong, whose spirit is disciplined, who are proficient
in the use of arms, valiant, longing for victory and moving by jumps, how much more is required? In
the battle, I on my part will kill Ravana along with his army, his forerunners, his sons and his brothers.”

“In the battle, I can blow out the missiles presided over by Indra the lord of celestials,
Brahma the creator, Rudra the god of destruction, Vayu the wind-god, Varuna the god of water and even
those missiles even if they are difficult to be looked at, employed by Indrajit (Ravana’s eldest son).
My prowess, when permitted by you, will frustrate that Ravana. The shower of rocks, which will be unequalled
and incessant, discharged by me, can kill even celestials. How much more those demons?”

“The ocean may overflow its shore. Mount Mandara may move from its position. But, in
battle, no army of adversaries can stagger Jambavan. The heroic Angada, the son of Vali alone, is sufficient
destroy all the troops of demons and even the demons who were their progenitors.”

“By the rapid movement of the thighs of the high-souled Neela and of Panasa, even Mount
Mandara can be shattered. How much more, the demons in battle? Tell me any one who can fight against
Mainda or Dvivida, among Gandharvas the celestials singers or Uragas the serpents or Pakshis the birds
or the celestials or the demons or Yakshas the semi-divine beings.”

“These two illustrious sons of Ashvini Kumaras, Mainda and Dvivida are the foremost among
the monkeys. In the battle-field, I do not find anyone who can fight against these two monkeys. Proud
of having received boons from Brahma the creator and their grandfather and abiding in a supreme haughtiness,
these two foremost among all the monkeys live on Amrita the nectar."

"Long ago, Brahma the grandfather of all the worlds, gave an unequal boon to them in
honour of Ashvini Kumaras regarding their inviolability. By the pride of those boons, those two heroic
monkeys harassed a great army of celestials and thereupon drank up nectar, excited as they were with
joy."

"Let all the other monkeys stand aside. Even these Mainda and Dvivida on their part are
capable of destroying the entire city of Lanka together with its horses, chariots and elephants.

“I alone burnt and destroyed the City of Lanka. In all its royal high-ways, the name
(of Rama and others) was proclaimed by me as follows: 'Victorious is Rama, the exceedingly strong and
the mighty Lakshmana too! Victorious is King Sugreeva, protected by Rama. I am Hanuma, a servant of
Rama and the son of wind-god'. In this way, the name (of Rama and others) was heralded by me everywhere."

"In the midst of Ashoka garden of the evil-minded Ravana and underneath a Shimshupa tree,
the virtuous Seetha was seen staying dejected, encircled as she was with female-demons, agonized with
grief and anguish, lusterless like a digit of the moon encircled by a line of clouds and disregarding
that Ravana who is arrogant of his strength."

Seetha, a devoted and virtuous wife, having charming hips, has been placed under restraint.
The auspicious Seetha is devoted to Rama in all ways, giving her undivided thought to Rama like Shachi
the goddess, giving her concern to Indra the destroyer of strong holds. Weaving that single piece of
cloth, which she had on her person even while being borne away by Ravana, and likewise covered with
dust, she was seen by me in a miserable condition with her grief and anguish, devoted as she was to
the welfare of her husband."

"I saw Seetha in a royal pleasure garden, amidst some female-demons. Seetha was being
frightened time and again by those ugly female-demons. That Seetha, wearing a single braid of hair and
looking depressed, was fully engaged in thinking about her lord. Looking like a lotus with a discoloured
figure in winter, she had determined to die, utterly averting to do anything with Ravana."

"With great difficulty, I created confidence in that fawn-eyed Seetha. Thereafter, I
talked to her and explained everything to her. She was delighted to hear the companionship cropped up
between Rama and Sugreeva. That high-souled Seetha does not kill Ravana who has committed an offence
because she conducts herself well with restraint and since supreme is her devotion to her lord. Rama,
on his part, will become mere instrument in killing that Ravana. That Seetha, who is by her own nature,
on delicate-limbed woman, was emaciated because of separation from her lord. She had grown thin like
the learning of a scholar continuing his studies even on the first day of lunar fortnight (which must
be observed as a complete holiday by students. Thus, the illustrious Seetha remains immersed in grief.
Let all that be done, which requires to be counteracted by way of a relief in this matter."

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Thus completes 59th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a
sage and the oldest epic.